Ban plan body still without "interpretation"

EU representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith's proposal on a special body is yet to receive "interpretation" from the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina. Feith's proposal, reported yesterday, comes as the format of an anticipated dialogue between Belgrade and Prostina remains unclear, and deals with issues linked to the command chain of Serb Kosovo police, KPS, raising and distribution of customs income in the north, and the work of courts in this, Serb-dominated part of Kosovo. Ban plan body still without "interpretation" The consultative body would implement UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's latest conclusions related to the province. Official Pristina is still not offering its interpretation of Feith's proposal, but some government and Kosovo presidency members are leaning toward rejecting any dialogue on Ban's plan points, our reporter says. Government spokesman Memli Krasniqi told B92 that Pristina will not accept to engage in "technical dialogue" with Belgrade, until Belgrade "starts treating Kosovo differently". "We are not against talks, but until Serbia accepts Kosovo as an equal side we cannot accept any form of negotiations," he said. Local Albanian language media are reporting that UNMIK's envisaged role is also not favored. The UN mission is supposed to offer good services for the two sides' contact. In Belgrade, the authorities expect UNMIK to form a working group so that talks can begin. UNMIK, however, still cannot specify what form those negotiations might take, and say they wish to see experts from both sides meet and speak about concrete problems first. In order to implement Ban's six-point plan – which official Belgrade said last November was its condition to accept EULEX's deployment in Kosovo – some form of contact will have to be made, our journalist says, and adds that Feith's proposal seems to be just that. Feith's idea is to have himself, and Kosovo institutions, EULEX, UNMIK and KFOR representatives as members of this body. Also in Pristina on Saturday, UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie said that it is "too early to talk about the format of technical negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina".

Ban plan body still without "interpretation"

The consultative body would implement UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's latest conclusions related to the province.

Official Priština is still not offering its interpretation of Feith's proposal, but some government and Kosovo presidency members are leaning toward rejecting any dialogue on Ban's plan points, our reporter says.

Government spokesman Memli Krasniqi told B92 that Priština will not accept to engage in "technical dialogue" with Belgrade, until Belgrade "starts treating Kosovo differently".

"We are not against talks, but until Serbia accepts Kosovo as an equal side we cannot accept any form of negotiations," he said.

Local Albanian language media are reporting that UNMIK's envisaged role is also not favored. The UN mission is supposed to offer good services for the two sides' contact.

In Belgrade, the authorities expect UNMIK to form a working group so that talks can begin. UNMIK, however, still cannot specify what form those negotiations might take, and say they wish to see experts from both sides meet and speak about concrete problems first.

In order to implement Ban's six-point plan – which official Belgrade said last November was its condition to accept EULEX's deployment in Kosovo – some form of contact will have to be made, our journalist says, and adds that Feith's proposal seems to be just that.

Feith's idea is to have himself, and Kosovo institutions, EULEX, UNMIK and KFOR representatives as members of this body.

Also in Priština on Saturday, UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie said that it is "too early to talk about the format of technical negotiations between Belgrade and Priština".